Fifthteenth chapter of this story
I look at my grave and think about what it means to me. The snow is falling hard, almost like its raining. I haven't changed the seasons yet, behind schedule as usual. The grave stands in the middle of the forest, not far away from the lake. I close my eyes, again thinking about the day I died. This grave is standing in the graveyard. My official grave, the only one I have where people can grief over me. And they do. I met three of the girls from my class on the way out here. It's been nearly two months since I died, but people still grief over me like it was yesterday. I hear them talk. They say things, lies as far as I know. They keep talking about how I was so kind, to nearly everyone. But that can't be true. I open my eyes and looked at the inscription.
"In loving Memory, Temperance Jones; a girl who loved everyone and everything" I read out loud. But those words have to be a lie. I hated everything. I can remember all the hate. I remember how I thought of everyone. I liked nobody.
But then a face flashes before my eyes. The wild bushy black hair and those teal eyes. He smiles at me, laughs with me. He speaks such sweet words to me. I perish the thought, or at least I try to. But he keeps coming back, like I try to convince myself he was real. But he isn't, he hated me, I hated him. A feeling stirs in my chest, it burns. I squeeze my chest and groan. It's worse than when the scars appear. I hear steps and turn around. Another visitor to my grave. It's him. He stands in front of the grave and looks at it. The pain in my chest stops. He's crying. He doesn't say anything; he just stares at the grave. Then he speaks, and my head suddenly becomes lighter.
"I miss you Tempe…" he says and looks up. Like he's expecting me to emerge from the clouds. But I won't. The body lying in the ground, the body I left to become Tempora, to become perfect, is as dead as can be. It's lying in the coffin they all made for me, along with the small objects they put down to me. He looks down at the grave again.
"You know, I have these weird dreams sometimes" he says, like we're having a conversation "you're alive, and you talk to me. You say you're sorry. I have no idea why, but it's the only thing you say" I feel my head become heavier again. Somehow, this seems familiar. But I ignore that feeling. He keeps talking; I ignore him and go away. But I can't help but looking back at him. He's still talking, a smile on his face. I hear him say one sentence, and I stand still like I'm frozen.
"I always knew you couldn't love me" he said. I stand there, for at least ten minutes before I take off. He keeps talking. He knew. He knew. He knew. It's the only thing I can think about. Then streams of thought from when I was alive come to my mind. I had liked him. He'd loved me. I land again, in the middle of the forest. My chest is hurting, I can barely breathe. My mind fogs up, my vision fades. Everything becomes dark. I close my eyes; pictures of the dying earth come up. Sentences flow in my head, my hate for the human race returns. I open my eyes, my vision's back. I growl when I notice where I am. I'm by my first grave. I turn around and look at it. I scuff at it, feeling like destroying it with my bare hands. I died here, 300 years ago. I was killed by a bear, walking home. It just attacked me, killing me to get some food. The pain from the scars now comes. I curse that I was ever a human. Had I never been, I wouldn't be hurting now. I look at my grave. The letters that had once been written on it had been worn away by the weather a long time ago. The wind blows in the trees. I can hear someone approaching and turn around.
"Why are you out here?" Pitch asks me, judgingly. I look away from him and sit down on the grave. He growls lowly at me and I gulp. I was supposed to go to and kill my sister from my newest life, but I got distracted. He's mad at me, I can feel it even though hoes standing away from me.
"If you want your teeth, you will kill her" he says and disappears into the shadows. My teeth. Those damn teeth. As soon as I get my hands on them, I'll get rid of them, along with any shred of humanity I have left. I won't even look at them. Not one look. The things Jack say come back and I think about my decision. Should I just take a short look? I could get answers. But no, I can't. I can't sway in my decision. But then another face hits me square in the face. Jack. I can't shake his stupid grin out of my head. No matter what I try, he stays. Everything he's said to me rings in my ears. Then I think of the night I died.
I stepped out on the ice, it gave a little. I just stared out on the ice, intensely and focused. I couldn't rip my eyes away from him. It was downright impossible. He had me in some kind of trance. His face, that stupid face. Why does his face keep popping up? My chest started hurting again. Why is it I can't stop thinking about him? He lied to me, tried to trick me. I can't trust him, or anything he says.
I think about the lake again. Laughter fills my head. My head starts beating, pumping. I hold my head and moan out in pain. A feeling of utter happiness fills my entire body, but I try to push it away. It's all fake. I know so, Pitch told me. He told me everything. He told me the truth, the whole truth. I was never loved, ever. I was a loner, always avoiding everyone. I can even remember wanting always to be alone. Everything he told me, I can remember. But some of it is a blur. I hold my head again, growling. My vision clouds up again, more and more as my mind becomes filled with doubt. I hear someone else approaching. I open my eyes. It's jack. Anger fills me to the brink and I clench my fist. He talks to me, but I ignore him. I just sit there and stare at him. Then his voice reaches me, and I start listening. His voice starts echoing in my head. My vision's still a little blurry, and my head's still pounding.
"This isn't you" he says. He's said it so many times. But if this isn't me… then what is? I have been hiding the real me… right? He walks closer, I take action. I won't listen to him anymore. Battle ensues. My ice powers against his. He has advantage over me, never having to reincarnate into a new body. He has more experience. But I have another trick up my sleeve. He sends out his attack, I move. I sprint towards him, going in for the kill. There's terror in his eyes, he realizes what my intentions are. But then I remember what Pitch says. I have to think my plans over for one second, but that's all he needs. He avoids me, I run past him. I'm about to turn around to kick him, but he surprises me. I never get to turn around. He hugs me from behind. He whispers. He tells me a story. It dims slightly in my head.
"She turns around, hearing the little girl scream" he whispers lowly, his voice wavering "she runs back, throws rocks at the bear. The boy screams at her, asking what she's doing" the story is so familiar to me, and my head becomes clearer as he talks "she tells him she's saving him, even calls him idiot. The bear looks at her. She starts to run, the bear follows. She runs, trying to get away from it. The boy stands still for a bit, before going after her. He tells his sister to stay, making sure she won't get hurt" pictures flash before my eyes. I can play the scene for my eyes. It dawns on me; this was how I really died "he sees the bear standing over her. They exchange a look, she calls out his name. It's the last thing she ever says, before the bear swings its claws at her, severing her throat" his voice is shaking now. He takes a deep breath. I think about how he could know this, since he had no memory of his past. I doubt him deeply for a second now, but then I feel something wet on my shoulder. He's crying. I widen my eyes. He's looked into the mirror of the past. Something not even I was ever allowed to look in. I stiffen up. My vision fades yet again. But something seems off. I'm not getting dizzy. I squint, and then I notice; it's shadows. My vision is just fine, but it gets blocked by shadows. Jack takes one more deep breath before he continues "he goes over to her, she's not even dead yet. She looks at him, tries to talk. She has trouble with talking. He can't believe his own eyes. She's dying right in front of him, trying to tell how she feels for him. She gets to say it, then she dies" my heart stops for a moment. I have trouble breathing. Jack gets confused; I turn my head and look at him. I don't understand anything.
"Tempe?" he says and I try to take a breath. He let's go of me. I back away from him and I fall onto the ground, supporting myself on my hands. My hands shaking. Shadows are surrounding my entire being. They seem to be trying to pry me open. I feel weak, my arms give in and I lie down. Then I hear someone talk, it's not Jack.
"Looks like my prediction came true, after all" the low voice said and my heart beats faster. What prediction? I look up at the two, one of them is Pitch.
"The shadows are eating her Jack. Soon, she'll be Nothing. Everything you did to save her, only worsened her situation" Pitch said and gave an evil laugh.
"What do you mean?" suddenly, my hearing's fine, I can hear everything they're saying.
"The shadows feed on doubt, Jack" he said and looked at me "and she was so pretty…" he said and Jack directed his staff towards him.
"Take them back…" he said in a threateningly low voice.
"I can't, they've been living in her for a long time. You see, Jack… I planned revenge on the guardians for a long time. I had no idea what to do, then I saw the dear Tempora. She was so confused, doubtful. After just being turned into a spirit, and then her very biggest love couldn't even see her. Oh how she was crushed! Not to mention, her sacrifice was in vain! Her love died mere months after her, and she didn't have enough experience with her powers to save him!" he gave another laugh. I reach out after Jack. Steps approach and I turn to look its way.
"Rose…" I whisper hoarsely. She looks at me in fear.
"Tempe!" she yells and looks at me. Pitch laughs again.
"I see, this is Rose. Well isn't precious" Rose turned to look at Pitch, but she quickly returned her attention to me. She was scared, just as I was "well, where was i? Ah yes! I remember. She had just seen the love of her life crush through the ice, and that's when I take my change" I feel anger rise in my chest "I send shadows after her. And little by little, they replaced her memories with fakes, and made small changes in her attitude that would be activated when I wanted to. I had no idea it would take 300 years before I would need it though. That's why she changed so drastically. I mean, getting small messages and personality changes through 300 years can do some pretty big damage to you" I try to get up, but my arms give in. I fall to the ground and Jack turn around to look at me. He looks terrified. I looks at my arm, she shadows are getting thicker. Jack looks back at Pitch. Rose talks to me, I can't really hear her. Jack is fighting with Pitch. I feel my life draining out. My breathing's getting even heavier. My head's getting heavy. I think I'm dying… can a spirit die? Rose says a line, and I widen my eyes. And then… everything goes black, and I can't hear anything anymore.
Silence… darkness… nothing.
End Of chapter!
One chap to go! :D